Court
by HPfanonezillion
Summary: Sydney and Adrian pay a special visit to Court with their children for a party thrown in honor of Jill and Eddie's adoption. Comes right after Build Your World Around me starring Jill and Eddie and introducing Ivanna, Nikolai, and Marti.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: This started out as a one__ shot, but it kind of grew. I hope you don't mind. ;) There is some Russian spoken in this and I will post translations at the bottom of the chapter. The next one will be up maybe tomorrow. We'll have to see._

_Happy reading!_

Court

A Sydrian Fanfiction

By Danielle Cheri

Chapter One

"Rose!" Josh exclaimed as he threw himself at the guardian.

She laughed and picked him up. "Hey there, Joshua! My goodness, you're getting so big."

"Mommy says I growed almost a whole foot since you seen me last."

"I think that's about right." She smiled at Adrian. "Hello, old friend."

He smiled back. "Hi."

"Rose, I have a new sister." Josh said.

"I heard. How do you like that?"

He shrugged. "She cries a lot. And she's stinky."

She laughed. "Well, that sounds about right."

"But she's still pretty."

"I bet she is. And where is she?" She asked Adrian.

He smiled affectionately and ruffled his son's hair. "With Mommy in the bathroom. She got impatient to eat, so Sydney is feeding her. They'll be out in a minute."

"Then I guess we can get your things and start to load the car so that Mommy doesn't have to wait." She put Josh down and he immediately slipped his hand into hers.

"Where are the others?" Adrian asked as he picked up their bags.

She smiled, "Around."

Just then, Eddie appeared in the crowd. He nodded his head and made his way toward them.

"Uncle Eddie!" Josh exclaimed when he saw him.

"Hey, there, Josh." He kneeled down. "Ivanna is really excited that you're here for her party. She's been asking about you."

He blushed and looked away.

Adrian laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "He's been asking about her, too."

Josh pressed his face into his father's leg.

Sydney emerged from the bathroom with the carrier and diaper bag in one hand and a tiny baby against her shoulder. "Hello, everyone. They send you out on these missions, Rose?" She asked as Adrian took the baby from her.

"You're very special guests of the queen's sister. She begged." She grinned at Eddie as he fawned over the baby. "And her husband begged." Her phone rang and she picked it up. "Da?" She paused. "My nakhodimsya na puti." She put the phone away. "Ready to head out?"

"Sure." Adrian kissed the baby's face before he put her in her carrier. "This is Marti, by the way."

Rose leaned down. "Hey, there, cutie. You look just like your daddy."

"She has Mommy's eyes." He commented lovingly.

"You better not wake her, Adrian." Sydney warned.

He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Don't worry, honey. She'll see eventually."

Rose held onto Josh's hand as they walked outside. Her eyes were constantly studying the area around them. Eddie was the same, but he spoke with Adrian about life as a new father.

"Niki is a good baby for the most part, but I don't think I've ever been so tired. I mean, I've had my share of assignments with sleepless nights, but this is nothing."

Adrian laughed. "Marti's the same. She still sleeps a lot, but when she's awake, she lets you know it."

"And Ivanna." He shook his head. "God I love that kid, but she's always asking questions."

Sydney laughed. "It's what you wanted, right?"

He chuckled, "Yeah. Most of her questions are pretty thoughtful."

"Well, you're lucky she wants to know so much."

They got to the car. Dimitri smiled and greeted everyone. Josh stared up at him in wonder.

"Hi, Dimitri." He said in awe.

Dimitri chuckled and kneeled down. "Hello, Joshua."

"Can I watch you fight again?" He asked.

"Maybe we can arrange something." He grinned. He stood and leaned over Marti. "Ah, kak sladko eto odin?"

"Ona nastol'ko mala." Rose commented close to him. It seemed a little sad.

"Me pogovorim pozzhe." Her boyfriend said softly.

"Ya sdelal s razgovora. U nas svad'ba planiruyetsya." She smiled.

Sydney remembered Russian from her time as an Alchemist. It was one of the many languages she'd learned. She made a mental note to ask what the conversation was about later.

Marti fussed as they rode along. Adrian leaned over her and soothed her. She only got louder.

"She's not a huge fan of cars." Sydney explained to the others.

"It's fine." Dimitri said from the driver's seat.

"Mommy, look!" Josh exclaimed as they neared the walls of Court.

"I see, baby. Remember when Daddy and I told you that Daddy grew up here?"

He nodded.

"We're going to stay in his apartment. It's kind of small compared to our house."

"Is Yeats really okay?"

She laughed. "Of course he is. He's a cat and can take care of himself. But Grandma will check on him anyway."

He nodded again and went back to staring in wonder as the walls loomed closer. "Uncle Eddie, where do you and Aunt Jill live?"

"We live in a big apartment called a penthouse. It's way at the top of a really tall building about a block from the palace." He explained.

"Can we go there, Mommy?"

"That's up to your uncle." She said, combing her fingers through his hair.

"Jill and I would love to have you over." The guardian said kindly.

"Yay!" Josh exclaimed.

The adults chuckled.

"But, I think we need to see her majesty first." Rose said. "She's been wanting to meet you for a while, Josh."

"Me?" He said softly.

"Oh, yes." Rose said, turning in her seat. "She and your daddy have been good friends for a long time. And she wants to see how much you really do look and act like him."

"Which is exactly like him." Sydney said with a sly grin. He kissed her son's hair. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"We need to go somewhere else before we go to the palace." Adrian said softly, rubbing Marti's little arm.

"Where?" Rose asked.

"There's someone else that needs to meet them. A couple soneones, actually."

"Only one of those is going to be receptive." Sydney said softly.

"We're going to try." He said adamantly.

Eddie took charge of sending their bags to the apartment. Rose escorted the family to the Ivashkov manor. Dimitri returned to the palace to inform Lissa about the arrival.

The door opened and they were ushered inside by a butler. Nathan met them in the foryer.

"Lord Ivashkov." Rose said in greeting.

"Ivashkov?" Josh asked. "Like us?"

The man looked down on the boy. "So you actually brought them?"

"We were invited to Court by the queen personally." Adrian explained to his father. "Our children specifically. We thought their grandparents would like to meet them."

"Who is that man, Mommy?" Josh asked loudly.

Nathan scoffed. "Just a man who simply happens to have the same last name as you."

"Dad, please, give them a chance." Adrian begged.

"I've given enough chances. Now you have two dhampir children." He made a face as though the sound of the words tasted wrong.

"They are just children. Innocent children. Who are very well-loved by their parents." Adrian argued.

He leaned close to Adrian and sneered. "I don't acknowledge them. And you aren't welcome in my home."

"Nathan." Daniella said from nearby. "Don't I get a say in this?"

All eyes turned to Adrian's mother.

"I'd like to meet my grandchildren."

Nathan glared at her and then looked toward the group huddled before him. "After today, don't ever come back." He stormed out of the room.

"I'm sorry about that. It has been a matter of contention between us for a long time." She stepped forward and smiled down at the boy. "Hello, there. Are you Joshua?"

He nodded. "Who are you?"

"My name is Daniella. I'm your grandmother."

He smiled and threw his arms around her waist.

She laughed and lifted him up. "You look exactly like your father at your age. Right down to those beautiful emerald eyes."

He wrapped his arms around her neck. "You're really pretty."

"Thank you. You're quite handsome yourself." She kissed his forehead. "Introduce me to your sister." She requested.

They leaned over the carrier hooked over Sydney's arm. "That's Marti."

"Her middle name's Daniella." Adrian said softly.

She smiled at her son and reached out a hand to place in his cheek. "She looks like you, too. My goodness. No denying you're their father, is there?"

He chuckled. "No. Marti at least has her mother's eyes."

"Well, that's fortunate." She kissed her son's cheek. "I'd ask you to stay, but…"

"I know. Dad's still a sourpuss. I thought for a while after the wedding… But the kids…" He smiled at his son and tickled his neck. "They're a blessing to us, anyway."

"I bet they are." She kissed Josh and then put him on the ground. "Let's meet somewhere." She leaned down. "I know the best place to get ice cream around here."

"Can we, Daddy?" He asked eagerly.

"Yes. We'll see how the queen and Aunt Jill schedule us and then Grandma Daniella can tell us about that ice cream place."

"Grandma Daniella will wait by the phone for your call." She tweaked his nose. "It was very lovely meeting you, Joshua."

"You too, Grandma."

She leaned over the carrier. "Bye-bye, Marti. I look forward to holding you next time I see you." She wrapped Sydney in a hug. "It was great to see you, Sydney."

"And you, Daniella." She hugged back.

"Let me know something soon, Adrian." She hugged him close.

"I will, Mom."

"I love you so much, son." She whispered.

"I love you too." He gripped her tightly.

They said their goodbyes. Josh was very excited and wouldn't stop talking about how pretty his "other grandma" was.

Adrian took over carrying Marti and slipped an arm around his wife's waist. "You okay?" He asked.

"Why are you asking _me_?"

"I just want to know. Not just about what happened, but physically."

"Physically I'm fine." She sighed. "That other thing, not so much."

"Same here."

They walked in silence the rest of the way. Well, the adults did. Josh continued to talk.

He asked suddenly, "Rose, does my grandpa not like me because I'm like you?"

She looked over her shoulder at Adrian and Sydney. She lifted the boy up onto her shoulders. "Josh, in life you will find a few people around here aren't too happy you exist, I'm sorry to say. But your mommy and daddy love you. Jill and Eddie love you." She looked up at him. "Even I love you. You don't need a whole lot of people in your life to love you as long as the people that love you do it for the right reasons."

"Does Dimitri love me?" He asked.

She laughed. "Yeah, I think he does."

"Good. Can he show me how to fight?"

"That's up to your mommy and daddy." She put him down and he turned to his parents.

"Please?"

"We'll see." Sydney said, apprehension in her eyes.

"Yes!" He said punching the air.

"Is that a 'no'?" Rose asked softly as they walked into the palace.

"Adrian wants him to learn eventually anyway." She looked between her son and her husband as they talked. Her husband was pointing out some artifacts. "Are you and Dimitri okay?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Ty zabud', chto ya govoryu na russkom?" She said softly.

Rose blushed. "He kind of wants a baby. And I kind of do too. But it will take a lot. And I would be out for the count for a while. I don't really know if I want that." She shrugged. "We've got the wedding plans underway. We don't need another thing to stress over. Of course he said we could call the wedding off. It was just a 'small frivolity,' he called it."

"Rose, you have to do what makes you happy."

"I _am_ happy. Lissa is having another baby. So that's six kids we're in charge of already. And the good thing about them is we can send them home eventually. If we had our own, we'd be stuck. Not that I would care too much…but I love what I do. I don't know if being a full-time mom would change it."

"It changes everything." Sydney said softly. "Don't do it if you don't want it."

She stopped. "But sometimes I do. It's weird coming from me, isn't it?"

"No." Sydney pulled her along. "So how would you go about it?"

"Go to a human doctor. I don't want to have to try to find a Moroi guy to donate. That would be too weird. To make more dhampir babies, we usually just do it the old fashioned way." She grinned and elbowed Sydney. "Know what I mean?"

Sydney laughed. "Yeah, well, you do what you have to." She winked.

* * *

_Translations:_

_Dimitri: How sweet is this one?_

_Rose: She is so small._

_Dimitri: We will talk later._

_Rose: I am done with talking. We have a wedding to plan._

_Then later:_

_ Sydney: Did you forget I speak Russian?_


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: Here is the lovely second chapter. More Russian in this and I'll post the translations at the bottom. If there is anything wrong in it, please let me know._

_Happy reading!_

Chapter Two

They stopped outside the queen's main receiving room. Adrian kneeled down and looked into Josh's face. "Now, this lady we're about to meet, she's our queen so you have to be very, very respectful."

"Do I need to bow?" he asked nervously, his green eyes shining.

He looked to Sydney for a moment and then back at their son. "Yes. Just do what I do, okay?"

He nodded and slipped his hand into his father's.

Sydney took the carrier from Adrian. She wouldn't be bowing. She may be married to a Moroi royal, but she was still human. She didn't owe fealty to their queen.

Rose led the way inside. She and the others bowed low. Sydney stood respectfully in the back.

And then Marti started crying, breaking the silence. Sydney quickly dropped down and unbuckled the straps containing her. She shushed the baby.

Lissa laughed and walked over. "Some people know how to make an entrance." She leaned close and looked at the baby as she started quieting. "Hello there."

She blinked her tiny eyes at the queen.

"My name is Lissa." She tickled her little cheek. "Welcome to Court, little one." She turned and kneeled in front of Josh. She held out her hand. "Hello."

He slipped his hand into hers. "Hi."

"Oh wow, look at that aura." She said in awe.

"Isn't it great?" Adrian said, ruffling his hair.

"What's that mean, Daddy?"

"Daddy's magic." He explained. "Lissa has it too."

He looked at the queen in awe. "You see the colors, too?"

She nodded. "All of them." She stood. "Come and have a seat." She called to a servant standing beside the door, "Please go get the children and my husband."

"Yes, your majesty." He bowed and stepped out of the room.

The door flew open a moment later, two small girls about the same age as Josh came running in.

"Ivanna, stop." Jill scolded. "We walk inside."

"Regina, you too." Christian warned.

They stopped dead in the center of the room and looked back nervously.

"Sorry, Daddy." Reggie said sheepishly.

"I'll walk next time, Jill." Ivanna promised solemnly.

Jill scooped her daughter up and kissed her cheek. "You have to be respectful. This is the palace." She put her back down and pushed her toward the boy holding Adrian's hand. "Introduce Reggie to Josh."

Ivanna tugged on the other girl's hand and pulled her across the room.

Adrian kneeled down beside Josh. "Well, Regina, you are quite a lovely little princess."

She blushed, "Thank you."

"This is Josh." Ivanna said with a grin. "He's my cousin now."

"So he's mine, too?" Reggie asked.

"By some long and really complicated process, yes." Adrian said with a laugh. He kissed his son's cheek and then stood. "Go play, baby." He gently nudged Josh. He met Jill halfway across the room and gathered her into his arms. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." She sighed into his shoulder. She stepped back. "How are you since I saw you last?"

"Fine. I worry over Sydney, but _I'm_ fine." They walked over to the group admiring the new babies. He walked behind Sydney and put a hand on her lower back. He whispered, "I think you should take a seat."

She turned her head and rested it against his. "I'm okay, sweetheart." She whispered back.

He stole a kiss and tickled Nikolai's cheek. "Hi there, Nikolai. You look like you've grown in the last few weeks."

"He has. We already moved him up to the next size diapers _and_ clothes." Eddie said, plopping down on an overstuffed chair.

Jill smiled affectionately down at the baby. "And he's almost too big for those, too." She chuckled and perched on a nearby sofa.

Adrian took the baby and sat beside his friend.

The rest took a seat.

Andrea sat close to her mother and looked down at Marti. "Your baby is really cute Mr. and Mrs. Ivashkov."

"Oh, please call us Sydney and Adrian." Sydney requested. "We don't do formality."

The girl smiled. "All right."

"I'm sure someone already told you our news." Lissa smiled. "Between my sister and my best friend, I'm sure one of them blabbed."

"Guilty." Rose said from beside Dimitri leaning against the back wall.

"And here I was thinking it would be Jill." The queen teased.

"Are you talking about our new baby, Mom?" Her oldest daughter asked.

"I am."

"I'm just glad we live here. Because there is no way I'd share a room with the twins."

"Actually, you'd probably be sharing with Reggie." Christian said from the other side of his wife.

"Yeah, that would be a bigger no, Dad." She laughed. "May I hold Marti?" She asked Sydney anxiously.

"Sure." She said. "If your mom is ready to give her up."

"I guess." The queen sighed and passed her over.

"Dolls are for girls!" Josh exclaimed from the other side of the room.

"Nuh-uh, my mommy says dolls can be for anybody." Reggie argued.

"Well, they're not." Josh ran over and patted Adrian's knee. "Daddy, tell Reggie dolls are only for girls."

Adrian leaned forward and said softly. "If you play a game Reggie wants to play, maybe she'll play a game you want to play. I know you don't like dolls, but boys can play with them sometimes."

"But, Daddy—"

"But nothing, Joshua. You're a guest here and you need to be nice."

He stuck out his lower lip and climbed up beside him. "Then I'm not playing anything."

"Fine, be bored." Adrian said. "Pouting isn't going to get your way."

The boy sat beside his father as the adults moved on to more mundane topics. They passed the babies around. Josh scooted off the couch and went back to play with the girls. After a while, he climbed up on Adrian's lap and yawned hugely.

"Are you getting tired, baby?" He asked softly.

He nodded.

"I think that's our cue." He told Sydney.

She nodded and tried to hide her own yawn. "Yeah, sorry. Not used to this change." She walked over to take Marti from Dimitri.

"Proshchay, malyshka." He murmured against her ear before he handed her over.

"Poproshchat'sya, Marti." Sydney smiled.

The guardian looked embarrassed, but quickly hid it. "YA ne znayu, chto vy govorili na russkom yazyke."

"Da."

He cursed under his breath. "I sometimes forget who can and who can't."

"I shouldn't have eavesdropped. I just don't hear it that often."

He rubbed Marti's cheek. "We're fine, if you're wondering."

"Rose told me."

He nodded. "I figured she would. You have always been a good friend to her."

"Even though she broke Adrian's heart." She smirked.

"Eto vse v proshlom" He shrugged.

"True." She yawned again. "I'm sorry. I need to get my kids and myself to bed."

"See you tomorrow." He called to Joshua. "Eddie, Rose, and I will be sparring tomorrow, if your mom and dad will let you come watch."

"Can we?" He sleepily asked his father.

"Mommy and I will talk about it." Adrian said as he rubbed his son's back. "We'll see you guys tomorrow."

They were met out front by a car that drove them right to the front of the old apartment building. They stumbled upstairs. Sydney knew Marti would probably wake up any minute, begging to eat. She mentioned it to her husband.

"I'll handle this little guy." Adrian said as they walked through the door. "You take care of Marti and I'll get her bed put together."

She grinned and pointed to the bedroom. "You mean that one?"

He laughed. "Thank God for friends with kids."

"Yeah." Sydney kissed the pack of Josh's head. "Good night, baby." She shared a smile with her husband. "I love you."

"Are you talking to me or our son?"

"I'm talking to both of you." She brushed a kiss across his lips. "Get him down and come to bed." She got Marti out of the carrier as she started to cry. "Sh, it's okay. Mommy has you. And I have just what you need."

Adrian walked into the bedroom just as Sydney put their baby girl to bed. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. "You know what I'm looking forward to?"

"Nights that we get to sleep more than a couple hours at a time?"

He laughed. "That. And getting to have sex with my wife."

She nudged him with her elbow. "Why do you have to be such a horn dog?"

"Because it's kind of how I'm wired." He leaned forward and kissed her nose. "Take off your clothes. Let's go to bed."

"It's still too soon."

"I know."

"I don't feel comfortable in my skin just yet." She covered her stomach instinctively.

"Do you remember that part about me not falling in love with you because of your body?"

"Yeah."

"You just had a baby a few weeks ago. It's going to take a while for your body to get back in shape." He wrapped his arms around her. "But you know I'll always love you, celery stick."

She smiled and pressed her face into his shoulder. "I know. And I love you." She stepped away. "Come on. I'm tired." She undressed as he watched. Then she walked over and pulled his shirt off over his head and slipped it over her own.

He laughed and hefted her over his shoulder, throwing her down on the bed. He leaned over her and kissed her deeply. "I don't think I can even fathom how much I love you, Sydney. You and our amazing babies. Words cannot express now much I adore you and all you do for me and with me and _to_ me." He kissed her again. "You're perfect. Our life together is perfect and I…I just love you."

She smiled and pulled him down to her to kiss once more. Their lips brushed softly together. She flipped him onto his back, their legs tangled together. She giggled when he slipped his hand up her shirt and brushed his fingers over her breast.

"If Josh wakes up—"

"He'll be too groggy to process what he's seeing." He slipped his hand down her back and squeezed her bottom. "I don't know what you were talking about. Your body is amazing."

"You think so?" She combed her fingers through his hair.

"Oh, yeah, baby." He murmured against her lips. "I love you."

"I think you've said that before. Now get your hand off my ass so we can go to sleep."

He laughed and squeezed her bottom once more before he let go of her. They struggled to get under the blanket. Just as they were settled, Josh appeared at the door.

"Daddy?" He asked softly, his voice full of fear.

"Come on, baby." Adrian waved him in.

He walked to the end of the bed and paused. "Are we safe?"

"Of course we're safe, Joshie." He crawled to the end of the bed and leaned close. "Come on and sleep up here with Mommy and me."

The boy pulled himself up on the bed and followed his father to the top of the mattress. "Are you a vampire, Daddy?" He asked as he stared up at the ceiling between his parents.

"Yes." Adrian said softly.

"Do you kill people like in movies?"

"No. I only drink what I need."

"Adrian." Sydney said softly.

"Sydney." He returned.

"It's late. Josh, close your eyes and go to sleep. You're fine." She rested her hand on his back as he rolled onto his stomach. She pulled him close and kissed his hair. "You're safe. Mommy and Daddy won't let anything happen to you."

"There are more vampires here." He said softly.

"But they're the good kind like me." Adrian explained, smoothing a hand over his son's hair. "They won't hurt you."

"But Grandpa doesn't like me." He argued.

"Baby, don't worry about that. He just doesn't know you." Adrian kissed him. "Go to sleep, son." He continued to comb his fingers through Josh's hair until he fell asleep.

Sydney patted his back. "I wasn't ready for those questions." She said softly.

"Better start preparing. He notices a lot more now."

"About the sparring…"

"He doesn't have to go." Adrian argued.

"But I want him to see. Eddie, Dimitri, Rose…They're good role models for him. I'm just a regular old human. You're a Moroi. They're different from both of us. And we live too far away for it to be easy for him to see people like him. We'll go. Eddie has already shown him a few things. Let them show a little more." She sighed. "And when we get home, I think we need to seriously start looking into karate or tae kwon do or something. It's time. He should be prepared."

"You want me to go with him to those things?"

"I think he'd like having Daddy around for support. But if you need me to go sometimes, I can arrange it. Your art is your life."

"You and our children are my life. Art is just something I do to generate extra money." He leaned over their son and kissed her. "We'll work it out. I want some Marti/Daddy time and you can have some Josh/Mommy time."

"That sounds like a good plan." She pulled him back for another kiss and then snuggled closer to their son. "Now shut up so I can get some sleep."

He laughed and moved away. "Good night, honey."

"Sleep well, sweetheart."

And then Marti started fussing. Sydney groaned.

"I got her." Adrian rolled out of bed.

* * *

_Translations:_

_Dimitri: Farewell, little one._

_Sydney: Say farewell, Marti_

_Dimitri: I did not know you spoke Russian._

_Dimitri: It is all in the past._


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note: Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following. You guys mean a lot. There's more Russian, but Sydney translates for us._

_Happy reading!_

Chapter Three

"Mommy." Josh shook Sydney's shoulder. "Mommy, Daddy said to wake up."

She opened her eyes and pulled her son down on top of her. "Did Daddy make my coffee?"

"Yes. And Marti is awake. Daddy gave her a bottle."

"Good." She kissed him and then sat up with him close to her chest. "Did you sleep well, baby?"

He nodded.

"Me too." She put him on the floor and stood. She stretched. "Go tell Daddy I'll be right there."

He ran out of the room and almost ran into his father.

"Hey there, sleepyhead." Adrian walked into the room.

"Hi." She wrapped her arms around her husband and kissed his neck. "Where's Marti?"

"On the floor in the living room. I've been holding her all morning. I reluctantly put her down because you think I'm going to spoil her."

"Well, you are." She laughed. "Where's that coffee?"

"In the kitchen. With breakfast." He hoisted Josh up onto his shoulders. "Let's go eat."

Adrian sat his son in the booster seat at the table and then filled a plate for him with eggs, toast and sausage links. He handed the boy a sippy cup full of apple juice.

"I don't like apple juice, Daddy."

"Sorry, kid, that's all we got. I'm going to drink it too."

"I'm not thirsty then." He dug into his food.

Sydney came in the room carrying Marti.

"Who's the one spoiling the baby now?" Adrian teased.

She shook her head. "I can't help it. I'm her mommy; I can spoil her a little." She sipped her coffee. "So what's on the royal agenda today?"

"The sparring match is first thing. Then lunch with the whole brood. Then, I think Mom would like to have that ice cream." He tweaked the boy's nose. "Followed by an evening for ourselves. I think we should go to that little diner I took you to your first time here with me. The party is tomorrow afternoon."

"That sounds great." Sydney ate a couple bites of her eggs. She leaned down and brushed a kiss over Marti's forehead. "Such a sweet baby."

"Am I a sweet baby, Mommy?" Josh asked around a mouthful of toast.

"You are a sweet little boy, Joshua. But you're my baby, too." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Then she blew a raspberry against it, making him giggle. She loved making him giggle.

"We better finish if we want to go see the fight." Adrian said with a smile.

Two hours later, they were headed out the door. Adrian carried Marti strapped to his chest and Josh held firmly to his mother's hand.

"Mommy, will they get hurt?" He asked as they drew closer to the school's practice fields.

"No, baby. They train all their lives to know how not to hurt each other." Sydney explained.

"Sometimes they get a couple bumps and bruises, but nothing too bad." Adrian supplied.

"Will I do this too?" He asked anxiously.

Adrian and Sydney exchanged a look. Sydney spoke, "I think we can talk about it when you're older, Josh."

"You don't want me to." He said knowingly.

"No, baby, I really don't. At least not formerly. But that's nothing to worry about now."

Jill stepped out of the gate pushing a baby carriage. Josh ran forward and leaned inside.

"I was beginning to wonder when you'd be here." She said, patting Josh's back.

"We had to wait for Sydney to get some business out of the way." Adrian said, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist. "And it was hard to wrestle Josh into his shoes."

Jill laughed. "I know that feeling."

"Can we go see them fight now?" Josh asked.

"Of course." Sydney lifted him up onto her hip and followed everyone inside.

"Hey, kid." Eddie called when they walked in. "You come to see me kick Rose's butt?" He ruffled Josh's hair.

"You're not supposed to hit girls." He said, climbing up onto the barrier.

"Well, not if you're fighting like this. Don't ever hit a girl because you're angry with her. But if you're fighting for your life or saving someone you love, then you can hit a girl." Eddie explained. He did a few more stretches.

Rose ran up behind him and tackled him around the middle, throwing him to the ground.

"Hey, I wasn't ready." He protested.

She laughed and stood. "When was the last time a Strigoi asked if you were ready to fight?"

"When was the last time you actually matched up against one?" He teased.

She sighed, "Don't remind me."

"Are you going to do this or not?" Dimitri asked from the other side of the ring.

"Derzhat' shtany." Rose called.

"Eto ne to, chto vy skazali vchera vecherom."

Sydney and Lissa laughed as Rose turned red. Jill grinned and hid her face in Ivanna's hair.

"What did they just say?" Adrian asked.

His wife explained. "Rose told Dimitri to keep his pants on. He responded, 'That's not what you said last night.'"

He chuckled.

The pair moved away to the center of the ring. Their friends and family gathered closer together. Adrian handed the sling and Marti off to Sydney and lifted Josh to his shoulders.

"Tear her apart, Uncle Eddie!" Josh called as they started circling each other.

He winked at the boy just before he made the first move.

Ivanna cheered, "Go, Daddy!"

He faltered a moment, but quickly recovered.

Jill wrapped her arms tighter around the little girl sitting on the rail.

Josh pounded on his father's head as he continued to encourage the fight. Down at the other end of the group, Reggie stood on the rail, her father's arms holding her steadily as she jumped up and down.

Eddie threw Rose to the ground and pinned her shoulders. Both were breathing heavily. "Ready to give up?" He asked.

"Never." She hooked a leg over his and lifted her hands to his shoulders and flipped him over. She grabbed his wrists as he started to struggle and pinned them to the ground. He started to maneuver his legs, but she clamped her feet around his ankles. "Are _you_ ready to give up?" She panted.

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

Dimitri walked over and helped them both to their feet. "Good job." He squeezed Rose's shoulders and leaned close, whispering something in her ears.

She blushed and patted his chest. She held out her hand to Eddie, "Great moves, Castile."

"You too, Hathaway. Looks like we both still got it." He shook her hand. He walked over to the rail and leaned in close to Ivanna. "You don't have to call me Daddy." He said softly.

"But you _are_ my daddy." She said in her clear voice and wrapped her arms around his neck. "And I love you."

He smiled proudly and lifted her up off the rail. "Come on, let me show you some stuff. I'm sure Josh wants to learn too." He looked up. "What do you say, kiddo?"

Josh looked own at Adrian. "Can I, Daddy?"

"Of course you can." Sydney said before Adrian asked her permission.

Adrian lifted his son off his shoulders and kissed his cheek before putting him down on the training arena floor.

Rose came over and leaned on the rail as Dimitri and Eddie gave Josh, Ivanna, and Reggie a few pointers. "What do you think, Sydney?" She asked.

Sydney shrugged, "I'm not ready to think about this. But it's time."

"St. Vlads isn't too terribly far from you, but if you do decide to send them to school, you should send them here. Between Dimitri, Eddie, and me, I know they will get the best training available."

"Thank you. But unless something changes our minds, we're just going to send them to public school and have them trained in martial arts where _we_ can supervise. That is, until they are old enough to decide for themselves."

"And what are you going to do if they decide to come here?" She asked gently. She smiled as the children chased the men around the arena, screaming like heathens.

Christian jumped in and joined them.

"We'll figure out something." She smoothed her hands over Marti's back.

Adrian wrapped an arm around Sydney's waist, resting a hand on her hip. "How are you feeling?"

She smiled at him. "I wish you would stop asking that every five minutes."

"I don't want you to overdo it, baby." He murmured close to her ear.

"I'm fine, sweetheart." She nuzzled close. "Stop."

Rose jumped over the rail and leaned over the stroller containing Nikolai. "Two months old tomorrow, right?"

"Yep." She kneeled down. "Just in time for his party."

Adrian's phone rang and he stepped away. "Hi, Mom."

Sydney leaned over the stroller with the other women.

"How are things with Nathan?" Lissa asked softly.

"Nonexistent. He barred us from the house. I knew he would." Sydney sighed and looked down at the baby strapped to her chest. "But Daniella wants a relationship with them, so that's good."

"Very good." Lissa agreed. "I invited them to the party. They're both coming according to their RSVP. I hope that doesn't change."

"Me too."

Adrian walked over and kissed Sydney hard on the mouth.

She laughed. "What is that about?"

"Mom's convinced Dad to give them a chance. She invited us over for dinner tonight."

"That's the best news ever." She threw an arm around him, cradling Marti between them.

She started squirming and crying between them.

"Time to feed her." Sydney said, taking her daughter out of the sling.

"Do you need some privacy?" Lissa asked.

"No, I pumped this morning." She took a bottle out of the diaper bag and started feeding the baby.

"Smart plan." The queen said. "I always feed mine wherever I am. An embarrassment to my children, but I can't always stop an important meeting to feed a baby. As long as whoever I'm dealing with doesn't mind, that is. Some of them welcome the break, though." She chuckled.

"Mommy, did you see me?" Josh said, climbing on the rail.

"I did, baby. Did you have fun?"

He nodded. "Can I do it all the time? Dimitri and Eddie said they started training when they were my age."

"At home." Sydney said. "Daddy and I have plans. Don't worry; one of these days, you'll be able to take on Eddie fair and square."

"Josh, come look." Ivanna called.

A few feet away, Christian juggled balls of fire. Josh ran over to get a better view.

Lissa handed Jill a bottle of water. "Show 'em what you got, little sister."

Jill chuckled and jumped over the rail with her husband's help. She opened the bottle and poured some into her hand, forming a ball of her own. She made the water dance. She and Christian made their magic work together for a while, fighting for dominance. And then finally, Jill snuffed the fire out. The children groaned.

"I believe it's time for lunch." Lissa called.

The five youngest of the group ran over and scrambled over the rail, all talking about how much they were starving.

Eddie came over and picked Nikolai out of the stroller. "Hey, there, baby boy." He held him close. "I just love my cuddles from you."

Rose pounded him on the back. "You're going soft, Castile."

"No, not soft. Just in love with my babies." He kissed Nikolai's little face and then tucked him into the crook of his arm. He said softly. "You'd be exactly the same, Hathaway. But be happy you're not in a position to have any. As much as I love them, I miss sleep." He chuckled. "But I would miss them more." He tickled the baby's tummy and watched as he smiled. "That's right, little man. Daddy loves you."

"And he loves his daddy." Jill said beside him, Ivanna on her hip.

"Can we stop with all the mush? I'm hungry." Chris complained.

"Yeah, yeah." Christian draped an arm over his son's shoulders. "Come on."


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note: Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows. I really appreciate all the love. Please continue to let me know what you think._

_Happy reading!_

Chapter Four

"Daddy, it's choking me." Josh said, tugging at his collar.

Adrian finished tying the lace of the boy's dress shoes. "I'm sorry, baby, but we're going to a very important dinner and you need to be dressed nicely."

"You too?" He asked, looking over his father's garb.

"Yes." He fussed with his tie as he stood. "We dress nicely when we go to see this Grandma and Grandpa."

"We don't see my other grandpa." The boy pointed out, a touch of melancholy in his voice.

"No, we don't. And when you're bigger, you'll understand a little better why."

"Is it the same reason _this_ grandpa doesn't like me and Marti?"

"Yeah." He smoothed the boy's dark hair down. It stuck back up in a few places. He smiled. "But we'll be all right. You have your grandmas who love you very much. And Mommy and me. Mommy and I adore every little thing about you." He scooped his son into his arms and walked across the hall.

"Wow, Mommy, you're beautiful." Josh said when they saw Sydney in the bedroom.

She wore a simple black dress Jill had let her borrow. She smoothed a hand over her stomach. "Thank you, baby." She asked Adrian, "Do I look okay?"

Adrian sat the boy down and walked over to his wife. He took her hands and held them out to her side. He took in every inch of her and gave an appreciative nod. "Very nice. Very, very nice."

"Thank you, sweetheart." She brushed her lips across his.

He leaned over the crib. "Do you think they'll be okay?"

"I don't know." Sydney reached in and picked her up. She placed a kiss to her head and then put her in the car seat. "Now, let me have a look at my boys." She took Adrian by the shoulders and smoothed down his lapels. "As handsome as the day I married you."

He smiled and kissed her hard on the mouth.

"You'll smudge my lipstick." Sydney said against his lips.

"Who cares?" He said before he kissed her again.

She laughed and pushed at his shoulder playfully. She kneeled down in front of Josh. "Well, now, Joshua. You are looking very smart."

He gave her a confused look. "Smart?"

"Handsome. Just like Daddy." She kissed his cheek. "Now, I need you be on your best behavior. Think before you ask a question and make sure it's something you have to know right at that moment."

"Yes, Mommy." There was a note of apprehension in his small voice.

She smiled. "You'll be okay, baby." She stood and found her shoes. "All right, let's get going."

"We have a car waiting for us." Adrian said, picking up Marti.

"Mommy, carry me?" Josh held up his arms.

"Not in these shoes, baby. We'll both fall and get hurt." She held out her hand. "Hold my hand instead."

In the car, Josh kicked his feet nervously. Sydney held his hand steadily. She gripped Adrian's anxiously on the other side. Marti gurgled.

"Stop kicking your feet, Joshua." His father admonished.

He ceased his movement and pushed himself up on his knees to look out the window. "When are we going to be there?"

"In just a moment." He assured the boy.

"Daddy, are we going to have to eat gross things?"

"Probably. But don't be rude about it. Just try it and if you don't like it, move on to something else."

He nodded and pressed his face against the window as they pulled up to the familiar house from the night before.

"Come on, baby." Sydney said as the door opened.

Their son scrambled out and stood on the pavement, staring up at the house in wonder. Sydney took his hand as they walked up to the front door. It opened as they stepped onto the stoop. They were ushered inside and showed to a formal sitting room.

Daniella walked over in a green velvet gown and greeted them warmly. She knelled down in front of Josh. "You're looking very handsome, Joshua."

"Thank you, Grandma." He said, wrapping his arms around her neck.

She laughed and hugged him back "Come along." She stood and took his hand. She led him across the room to where Nathan lounged in an overstuffed arm chair. "Nathan, this is Joshua."

Adrian's father looked at the boy in silence for several tense moments. Finally he leaned forward. "Hello, Joshua. Do you like chocolate?"

He smiled and nodded.

Nathan reached over to the table beside the chair and picked up a box. He opened it and held it out to the boy.

Josh looked up at his parents.

"Go for it." Adrian said.

"Thank you, Grandpa." He reached in and took one of the sweets, stuffing it into his mouth.

"Call me Grandfather." He stood and walked across the room.

Adrian lifted Marti out of the carrier and presented her to his father. "This is Marti."

"Hm." He said as he leaned over her. "Pretty enough. As far as dhampir babies go."

"I guess if you want to be a dick you could say that." Adrian snapped.

"Sweetheart." Sydney admonished.

"Look, if you want me to try, you have to try too." Nathan shot back.

"Nathan." Daniella said from the sofa.

He sighed and held out his arms. "Here, let me have her."

"Are you sure?" Adrian asked uncertainly.

"I am."

He reluctantly passed the baby to his father. The older man looked down at her. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You look a little like your grandmother."

"A little." Adrian agreed.

Sydney moved off to sit beside her son and mother-in-law on the sofa. Daniella had pulled out an old photo album containing pictures of Adrian as a small boy.

"Josh really does look like him at that age." She commented as she looked over her son's shoulder.

"I've been looking at these albums all day." She said nostalgically.

"Don't show them the naked ones, please, Mom." Adrian asked with a grin as he and his father sat on opposing chairs.

"Well, why not? I never got the chance when you and Sydney were dating. And you have two children. Obviously that ship has sailed."

Sydney chuckled and kissed the top of Josh's head as her mother-in-law explained about a photo of small Adrian dressed in a bear costume.

Nathan still had the baby and was now smiling down at her. Sydney loved the way Marti seemed to melt some of the hardest hearts. If only _her_ father would take the chance…

Adrian caught her eye and winked.

Nathan tickled the baby's tummy. "Well, this isn't so bad." He said softly.

"No." Adrian responded. "They won't be guardians unless they want to be. Sydney and I have decided that. We'll keep them at home, they'll know who they are and where they come from, but they won't be sent to school unless they're older and they ask to. And then they will most likely come here."

"Here? St. Vladimir's is much closer." Daniella said.

"But we know some of the teachers here on a personal level. We know the results of their teaching. Unless Eddie takes the position at St. Vlad's like they've been begging." Adrian smiled.

A man walked into the room, "Dinner is served."

"Thank you, Jacobs." Nathan said. He looked down at the baby still in his arms. "Um…"

"We can put her back in her car seat." Sydney walked over and gathered her from her father-in-law.

"We have a little bassinet you can put her in while you eat." Daniella said, leading her out of the room. "We had it placed in here earlier. Adrian said you like to keep them close."

"Thank you, Daniella." Sydney followed and smiled. "Look there, Marti. You get to lie down and relax while we eat. Daddy won't be juggling you this time." She gently placed her into the bassinet.

"Nathan was very much the same with Adrian." She said, patting the young woman on the back.

"Joshua, I want you sitting here." Nathan said, pointing to a seat to his left. "You have to tell me about yourself."

He scrambled into the seat. "What do I say, Grandfather?"

He smiled at the boy and started filling a plate. "Are you in school?"

"Yes. Mommy says it's just preschool and I go to Kindergarten next year."

"How old are you, then?"

He held up four fingers.

"Tell Grandfather how much that is, baby." Adrian prompted from across the table.

"Four." He said proudly.

Nathan chuckled. "Good. And when is your birthday?"

"October thirty-seventh." He announced.

"Twenty-seventh." His mother corrected.

"Twenty-seventh. But I stay home with my Daddy sometimes. We paint together."

"That painting there is his." Nathan pointed to a desert landscape above the door. "Somewhere in California, he says."

"Near Palm Springs." Adrian and Sydney said in unison. They laughed.

"I can tell you've been married a while." Daniella joked.

"It's a very special place to us." Sydney said, smiling across the table at her husband.

"Oh?" Her mother-in-law said.

"It's where we fell in love." Adrian supplied.

There was a small silence around the table. It wasn't entirely unpleasant. Nathan and Daniella exchanged a look of two people who had been together and loved each other a long time. Sydney tangled her feet with Adrian's under the table as she leaned over and wiped sauce off the side of Josh's face.

"My mommy fixes cars." Josh said, breaking the silence.

"I'd heard that." Nathan said, looking a little annoyed.

"Sydney is a great mom." Adrian said before his father could say anything against her working outside the home, much less being a mechanic.

"Oh, I don't doubt it." The older man said. "It's just not a profession many women have."

"I learned from my own mother." Sydney said humbly. "And I hope to teach Josh and Marti the important things about vehicle maintenance. More if they wish."

"Those are very good skills to have." Daniella smiled. "If they were trained at one of the schools, they wouldn't learn such a useful tool."

"They'd learn to keep our kind safe." Nathan pointed out.

"I would rather not have my son hear the 'my kind, your kind, our kind' stuff, if you don't mind." Sydney said smoothly.

"Sorry." He said. But he didn't really sound it. "Anyway, I suppose knowing how to change one's own oil could be a useful pastime. Unlike subduing a creature hell-bent on killing Moroi."

"They'll also know how to tell when a belt needs changed or a bolt needs tightened and how to change out spark plugs." She looked across the table to her husband and took a deep breath and turned back to her father-in-law. "As well as self-defense. And when we feel they are old enough to make the decision themselves, we will let them decide if they want to pursue the life of a guardian or go on being whatever the hell else they want."

In the tense silence that followed her speech, Josh said to his father, "Mommy said 'hell.'"

"Yes." Adrian said proudly. "But she said a lot more than that."

"She did." Nathan conceded and went on eating in silence for a while.

Daniella spoke up, "I forgot to ask, how old is Marti now?"

"She just turned a month." Adrian said. He rubbed a toe against his wife's leg. "Growing like a weed. She's going to be pretty tall, I think."

"She's a good baby for one month old."

"She's still mostly sleeping." Sydney looked toward the bassinet in the corner. "I'm looking forward to seeing what she's going to become."

"This one has a good personality." Nathan said, nodding toward Josh. "And quite respectful. You've done well so far."

"Thank you, Dad." Adrian said quietly.

"Yes, thank you." Sydney echoed.

Marti awoke and started fuzzing.

"Does she need to eat?" Daniella asked.

"No, she's fine." Sydney said.

"Then may I hold her?"

"Sure, Mom. Go ahead." Adrian grinned.

As Daniella gathered the baby and the entre plates were taken away, Josh happily announced, "Mommy feeds Marti from her boobies."

Adrian snorted and tried to hide a laugh. Nathan didn't even attempt to hide his guffaw. Sydney turned slightly red and explained softly to her son that while it was a true statement and she didn't hide the fact that she breast fed his sister, it wasn't something people announced at the dinner table.

Daniella sat down with Marti in her arms. "I didn't breast feed long. It didn't work with my lifestyle."

A servant came in with a tray loaded down with individual cups of layered dessert of fruits and whipped cream and sat one down in front of each of them. Josh leaned forward and examined it. His grandparents and father dug in.

"Eat up, Joshie." Adrian said. "This was my favorite dessert when I was a kid."

Encouraged, Josh took a tentative bite. He smiled. "This is delicious." He exclaimed and ate with enthusiasm.

Sydney took a few bites out of courtesy, but sat back after a while. She offered to take Marti, but Daniella swore she was perfectly fine.

"Can I have the rest of yours, Mommy?" Josh asked, licking his spook clean.

"Don't you think you had enough? It might make you sick." Sydney asked, smoothing a hand over his hair.

He shook his head. "There's always room for more."

Sydney chuckled and pushed her cup toward him. "But if it gives you a bellyache, just remember that I warned you."

He nodded happily as he scooped up a spoonful of the sweet confection.

"At least it's fruits and not artificial sweets." Adrian said, reaching out a hand for her.

She smiled and slipped her hand into his.

Marti started fussing some more. Daniella tried to calm her, but it only got worse. Adrian took her and she quieted a bit, but not completely.

"Maybe she's ready to eat now. She didn't do a lot earlier." Sydney reached for her. "Do you have anywhere I can take her?"

"Yes, of course." Daniella stood. "Follow me."

As soon as the women left the room, Nathan looked sternly at his son. "Well." He said.

"Yes?" Adrian asked.

He looked at Josh who was slowing down on the last of the food in front of him.

"You've done well for yourself." He said almost reluctantly.

"Thanks. That means a lot."

"Daddy, I'm tired." Josh said around a yawn.

"I know, baby. We'll leave soon." He chuckled. "You have whipped cream all over your face."

He picked up his napkin and attempted to clean it, but only smeared it further.

His grandfather laughed. "Here, let me help."


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's note: So this is the last chapter. I know, short and sweet, but it took years. I apologize. I have to be at work early and then I'm too tired by the end of the day to be inspired. Anyway, keep your eyes out for a VA/Bloodlines story where I change a single moment near the end of VA and play around with how it alters everything else, even the world of the future that I've created. I've got a lot in mind, but I don't know when I'll be starting it._

_Russian translations at the bottom._

_Happy reading!_

Chapter Five

"Mommy, can I just play with Ivanna?" Josh asked as they stood outside the large building that housed the party.

"I think that can be arranged, baby." Sydney squeezed Adrian's hand. "Do you have her?"

"Yeah, she's fine." He patted the baby's back. He carried her in a sling across his chest. "Are you going to wake up and say hi to people today, Marti?" He crooned.

Sydney adjusted the diaper bag over her shoulder nervously. "Plenty of people might want to hold her. At least the ones in our normal crowd. I don't know who else Lissa invited."

"Well, if it isn't the young Ivashkovs." A familiar voice said as they walked inside.

"Mr. Mazur." Sydney said with a smile. She had always endured this larger-than-life man, but she had also grown to like him even more over the years. She relaxed a little.

He leaned down and kissed her on both cheeks and then shook Adrian's hand.

"Who's he, Mommy?" Josh asked loudly.

Abe kneeled down and held out his hand. "Ibrahim Mazur, at your service. You must be Joshua."

The boy's eyes grew wide. "How did you know?"

He chuckled. "Rose told me. She's quite fond of you."

"You know Rose?" He asked in awe.

"Yes. She's my daughter." He ruffled the boy's hair.

"She is?"

He nodded.

"Ibrahim." A woman said softly from nearby.

He looked toward the voice as though it was the source of his very existence.

"Rose is looking for you."

"Thank you, Janine. Have you met the Ivashkovs?"

Introductions were made all around. Rose's mother was surprisingly in a conservative party dress instead of the black and white of a guardian on duty, as she had been in all the previous times they had seen her at these functions. She was a guest.

Abe's face softened even more when he saw Marti. "I may have to reserve a few minutes holding her." He said.

"You have to stand in line." Eddie came over. "There you guys are."

"Josh needed a nap. And then we couldn't wake him." Adrian explained fondly.

Eddie laughed and lifted the boy onto his shoulders. "Well, Ivanna and Reggie are begging for you. You want to go play?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, please."

They made their way more properly into the party. It was crowded with a lot of faces Sydney had never seen before, but Adrian recognized them all. Janine and Abe wandered off together. She noticed Abe slip his hand into the guardian's before they disappeared into the crowd. She smiled over her shoulder at him.

All the children, mostly Moroi, ran around in an area set up with the best toys Josh had ever seen. He ran over to Ivanna and Reggie as they climbed onto a group of rocks that looked like a small mountain. There were guardians even more thickly here. One bent down and soothed a little boy who had scraped his knee.

"They'll be okay here. Rose and Dimitri hand-picked all the guardians working today." Eddie explained.

"We won't stray too far." Adrian said. "He barely knows anyone."

"Looks like he's fine, sweetheart." Sydney said softly. She pointed.

Their son was already playing happily with a group of boys wearing superhero capes.

Adrian chuckled. "There you go. I guess we can venture a little farther away."

"There's also a quiet room set up if Josh needs a time out or you need to feed Marti." Eddie pointed at a door across the room and then led them toward Jill who had Nikolai on her shoulder. She rocked back and forth as she spoke with a small group. Eddie rested his head against hers a moment and then kissed the baby's head.

He looked up at his father and blinked sleepily a moment and then closed his eyes once more.

Sydney rubbed Nikolai's back. "Hello, pretty boy." She cooed.

"Can you say hi to Aunt Sydney?" Jill said softly. She smiled and introduced the pair to the other people around her. Some were part of her design team. Others, just friends from around.

"Dimitri's been whispering to him in Russian." Eddie said, a note of teasing exasperation in his voice.

"He needs it." The man in question commented.

Sydney smiled, "Zdrastvuyte, Dimitri. Kak zhe svad'ba plany?"

He waved his hand, "Ne prosi."

"That bad, huh?" She chuckled.

He took Marti when Adrian offered. "I think she's getting back at me for insisting it happen." He clicked his tongue at the baby and murmured something softly to her.

"You should see the notes for the dress." Jill joked.

"Daddy?" Josh tugged in Adrian's pocket. He looked distressed.

"What is it, baby?" He kneeled down.

The boy leaned forward and whispered.

He smiled and stood, taking the bag Sydney still carried over her shoulder and calmly led the boy away through the door Eddie had pointed out earlier.

Sydney felt exposed suddenly and reached for Marti. Dimitri gave her back without a word, smiling reassuringly as though he understood. She stayed with the familiar faces, even as new people came forward to offer their congratulations to Jill and Eddie on the adoption.

"Ah, I've been looking for you." A man said from behind her. She turned. Nathan Ivashkov.

"Me?" She said with a nervous smile.

"Yes."

"Well, you found me." She said matter-of-factly.

He smiled sideways, reminding Sydney comfortably of her husband. "Daniella made me promise to be on my best behavior." He held out his hands anxiously. "May I?"

She nodded. "Here, Marti. Say hello to your grandfather." She passed the baby over.

Adrian walked back over, Josh on his hip. "Here's mommy." He sighed.

Sydney noticed their sons face was streaked in tears.

"A little accident." Adrian whispered as he gave her their son.

"It's okay, baby." Sydney crooned, rubbing his back.

Adrian noticed his father holding the baby and smiling kindly down at her. "She really has a way of stealing your heart, doesn't she?"

Nathan nodded. "She does. Are you sure she's not Moroi? I would say compulsion is at work."

Adrian laughed. "No, she just has the magic of being a very sweet baby."

"Will you come back to play, Josh?" a little boy asked, tugging on the boy's foot.

He looked between his parents a moment and then started squirming. "Down, please, Mommy."

Sydney put him down and he and the other boy ran back to the play area where they resumed whatever game they had been playing before. Adrian grabbed her hand and kissed her cheek.

"He's just like you." He whispered.

"I beg to differ." She whispered back.

They spent the rest of the party hand-in-hand as much as possible. When they couldn't hold hands, they stood very close. Adrian knew his wife took comfort in it. He noticed a few people whispering and looking their way. He hated the gossips. It wasn't like he was flaunting her. Though, he gladly would if she would let him.

At the end of the festivities, Sydney was exhausted. Being the only human at a Moroi party wasn't something that was new to her, but it was still hard every time. She gladly accepted the offer of a car to drive them across Court to the apartment.

Both children went to sleep quickly. Adrian found Sydney in the bathroom washing her face.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "You look exhausted."

"I am." She sighed and reached for a towel to dry her face as she turned in his arms. "Your dad is warming up nicely."

"Better than the rest of Court." He commented.

"True. They don't really have to. I don't think we'll be here again for a very long time if at all."

"Dad said he wanted to see the kids."

She cupped his cheeks. "Then they come to us or we meet them somewhere."

"Josh likes it here. He likes the friends he made."

"He has friends in Utah. And if he decides to come here to train, he'll make those friends again." She kissed him softly. "Come hold me."

"I want more than that." He smirked.

"Is that so? Well, I suppose I have bit of energy to help you out." She slid a hand down his chest.

"You don't have to, you know." He said, his voice hitched a little as she started gently rubbing him through his pants.

"I know." She kissed him.

He moaned and pressed himself into her hand.

Marti started crying softly.

"She'll stop." Adrian said when his wife tried to pull away.

Sydney tried to ignore the cry, but it grew louder.

And then Josh called, "Daddy?"

Adrian groaned and stepped away. "Kids."

"You wanted them." She grinned over her shoulder as she walked out of the room.

Adrian climbed into the bed after just a few minutes. "Josh just needed to have his back rubbed." He sighed.

"I've almost got her settled." Sydney said from the other side of the bed. "Her tummy wasn't full enough."

Adrian kissed the baby's head and then pressed a kiss to his wife's lips. "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you." She got up and put Marti back in her crib. She turned and saw Adrian watching her. "You look as exhausted as I feel."

He smiled. "We don't have to do anything else, baby. Not if you aren't up for it."

"I'm sorry." She looked stricken.

He pulled her down on the bed. "It's fine. We've got all the time in the world."

"And Josh might walk in."

He nodded and kissed her. "I'd like to keep that talk at bay for as long as possible."

She chuckled and then sobered. "Are you sure?"

"Sydney, I went nearly two years being constantly frustrated by you. I can handle a few more weeks."

"Good." She moved to the other side of the bed and turned out the lamp.

Adrian quickly undressed and got into bed with her. He kissed her shoulder. "We're going home in a couple days. I know you're ready."

She sighed and rolled over. "I am. Aren't you? This hasn't been your home for a long time."

"It was never really my home. I was always restless wherever I was."

"You're going to say something cheesy about not having a home until you met me."

He laughed and kissed her. "Well, it's kind of true."

She combed her fingers through his hair. "I agree."

"I feel even more at when I look at our kids. I like that we have this family. And I really like that my dad is warming up."

"I wish mine would." Sydney said sadly.

"Me too. Maybe he's next." Adrian smirked.

"We can try." She kissed him. "Good night."

"Good night." He held her close, rubbing her back gently as they slowly drifted off to sleep together.

* * *

_Sydney: Helli, Dimitri. How are the wedding plans._

_Dimitri: Don't ask._


End file.
